Rich Communication Services


Rich Communication Services is a communication protocol between mobile telephone carriers and between phone and carrier, aiming at replacing SMS messages with a text-message system that is richer, provides phonebook polling, and can transmit in-call multimedia. It is part of broader IP Multimedia Subsystem.
It is also marketed as Advanced Messaging, Chat, joyn, SMSoIP, Message+, and SMS+.

History

The Rich Communication Suite industry initiative
was formed by a group of industry promoters in 2007. In February 2008 the GSM Association officially became the project 'home' of RCS and an RCS steering committee was established by the organisation.
The scope of the steering committee's work was to entail the definition, testing, and integration of the services in the application suite known as RCS. Three years later, the RCS project released a new specification – RCS-e, which included various iterations of the original RCS specifications. The GSMA program is now called Rich Communication Services.
The GSMA published the Universal Profile in November 2016. The Universal Profile is a globally agreed, single GSMA specification for advanced communications. Carriers that deploy the Universal Profile guarantee interconnection with other carriers. 47 mobile network operators, 11 manufacturers, and 2 OS providers have announced their support. Google's Jibe Cloud platform is an implementation of the RCS Universal Profile, designed to help carriers launch RCS quickly and scale easily.
Samsung is the major device OEM to support RCS globally. Samsung RCS capable devices have been commercially launched in Europe since 2012 and in the United States since 2015.
Google supports RCS on Android devices with its Android SMS app Messages. In April 2018, it was reported that Google would be transferring the team that was working on its Google Allo messaging service to work on a wider RCS implementation. In June 2019, Google announced that it would begin to deploy RCS on an opt-in basis via the Messages app, with service compliant with the Universal Profile and hosted by Google rather than the user's carrier. The rollout of this functionality began in France and the United Kingdom. In response to concerns over the lack of end-to-end encryption in RCS, Google stated that it would only retain message data in transit until it is delivered to the recipient.
In October 2019, the four major U.S. carriers announced an agreement to form the "Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative" to jointly implement RCS using a newly-developed app. This service will be compatible with the Universal Profile.

RCS specifications

RCS combines different services defined by 3GPP and Open Mobile Alliance with an enhanced phonebook. Another phone's capabilities and presence information can be discovered and displayed by a mobile phone.
RCS reuses 3GPP specified IMS core system as the underlying service platform taking care of issues such as authentication, authorization, registration, charging and routing.
; Release 1 Version 1.0 : Offered the first definitions for the enrichment of voice and chat with content sharing, driven from an RCS enhanced address book.
; Release 2 Version 1.0 : Added broadband access to RCS features: enhancing the messaging and enabling sharing of files.
; Release 3 Version 1.0 : Focused on the broadband device as a primary device.
; Release 4 Version 1.0 : Included support for LTE.
; Release 5 Version 1.0 : RCS 5.0 is completely backward compatible with RCS-e V1.2 specifications and also includes features from RCS 4 and new features such as IP video call, IP voice call and Geo-location exchange. Global interoperability is a key aspect of these specifications, and RCS5.0 supports both OMA CPM and OMA SIMPLE IM. RCS 5.0 includes following features listed below.
; Release 5.1: 5.1 is completely backward compatible with the RCS-e V1.2 and RCS 5.0 specifications. It introduces additional new features such as Group Chat Store & Forward, File Transfer in Group Chat, File Transfer Store & Forward, and Best Effort Voice Call, as well as lessons-learnt and bug fixes from the V1.2 interoperability testing efforts. Global interoperability is a key aspect of these specifications, and 5.1 supports both OMA CPM and OMA SIMPLE IM.
; Release 5.2 Version 5.0 : Improved central message store and introduced service extension tags into the specification. It also introduced a number of incremental improvements and bug fixes to RCS 5.1 V4.0 that improve the user experience and resolve issues that were noticed in deployed RCS networks
; Release 5.3 Version 6.0
; Release 6.0 Version 7.0 : Support for Visual Voice Mail and more
; Release 7.0 Version 8.0 : Support for Chatbots, SMS fallback features and more
; Release 8.0 Version 9.0 : Support for additional Chatbots features and vCard 4.0

RCS-e (enhanced)

; Initial Version
; Version 1.2
; Version 1.2.2

joyn

The GSMA defined a series of specific implementations of the RCS specifications. The RCS specifications often define a number of options for implementing individual communications features, resulting in challenges in delivering interoperable services between carriers. The RCS specifications aim to define a more specific implementation that promote standardization and simplify interconnection between carriers.
At this time there are two major relevant releases:
Two or more future releases are planned:
The GSMA's Universal Profile is a single, industry-agreed set of features and technical enablers developed to simplify the product development and global operator deployment of RCS.
; Version 1.0 : Includes core features such as capability discovery which will be interoperable between regions, chat, group chat, file transfer, audio messaging, video share, multi-device, enriched calling, location share and live sketching.
; Version 2.0 : Includes Messaging as a Platform, APIs, plug-in integration and improved authentication and app security.
; Version 2.1
; Version 2.2
; Version 2.3
; Version 2.4 : Removes plug-in integration and includes integrated seamless webview.

RCS Business Messaging

RCS Business Messaging is the B2C version of RCS. This is supposed to be an answer to 3rd party messaging apps absorbing mobile operators' messaging traffic and associated revenues. While RCS is designed to win back Person-to-Person traffic, RBM is intended to retain and grow this A2P traffic. RCS offers "rich" features similar to those of messaging apps, but delivered via the preloaded SMS messaging app - for example Google Messages or Samsung Messages. By making these features available in a B2C setting, RBM is expected attract marketing and customer service spend from enterprises, thanks to improved customer engagement and interactive features that facilitate new use cases. This was the primary reason for the development of RCS by the GSMA.
RBM includes features not available to ordinary users, including predefined quick-reply suggestions, rich cards, carousels, and branding. This last feature is intended to increase consumer confidence and reduce fraud through the implementation of a verified sender system. These additional features are only available with the use of a Messaging-as-a-Platform server integrated with the operator's network. The MaaP controls the verified sender details, unlocking RBM features, while also segregating P2P and A2P RCS messages, aiding monetisation of the latter.

Status

According to GSMA PR, Rich Communication Services carriers from around the globe supporting the RCS standard include AT&T, Bell Mobility, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Jio, KPN, KT Corporation, LG U+, Orange, Orascom Telecom, Rogers Communications, SFR, SK Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telia Company, Telus, Verizon and Vodafone.
Universal Profile is currently backed by 68 supporters:
OperatorCountryLaunch dateNote
MovistarBranded as joyn.
MetroPCSBranded as joyn.
KTBranded as joyn. .
LG U+Branded as joyn.
SK TelecomBranded as joyn.
Deutsche TelekomBranded as Message+
TelcelBranded as joyn.
ClaroMultiple marketsBranded as joyn.
SprintLaunched as a separate application
U.S. CellularUniversal Profile
TelekomBranded as joyn.
Slovak TelekomBranded as joyn.
O2Branded as Message+Call.
T-Mobile USBranded as Advanced Messaging.
AT&TBranded as Advanced Messaging and Video Call.
MTSBranded as MTS Connect.
JioBranded as Jio4GVoice.
SprintBranded as RCS. Universal Profile.
Rogers WirelessUniversal Profile.
Fido SolutionsUniversal Profile.
TelenorMultiple marketsUniversal Profile.
VodafoneMultiple markets2012-2017Universal Profile.
First Branded as joyn. Since November 2013 Message+.
TelstraBranded as Telstra Messaging.
Telia CompanyBranded as SMS+.
Telia CompanyBranded as SMS+.
Globe TelecomUniversal Profile
NTT DocomoBranded as +Message.
KDDIBranded as +Message.
SoftBank Corp.Branded as +Message.
Freedom MobileUniversal Profile.
VerizonBranded as Chat and launched as part of Android's default Messenger app with initial rollout for Pixel 3 phones
Google FiUniversal Profile.
Telekom AlbaniaUniversal Profile.
BellUniversal Profile.
China MobileUniversal Profile.
OrangeMultiple markets2012-2017Branded as Chat Messages in Romania, joyn elsewhere.
Since July 2018 branded as Chat - Universal profile in Slovakia.
Service in France was interrupted as of 14 November 2017.
COSMOTEUniversal Profile.
TelekomUniversal Profile.
CelcomUniversal Profile.
VodacomUniversal Profile.
Illinois Valley CellularUniversal Profile.
Tiercel WirelessUniversal Profile.
TracFone WirelessUniversal Profile.
T-Mobile USMay 2020Universal Profile

Interconnect and hubs

Like SMS, RCS requires national and international interconnects to enable roaming. As with SMS, this will be accomplished with hubbing - where third-party providers complete agreements with individual operators to interwork their systems. Each subsequent operator that connects to a hub is therefore connected automatically to all other connected operators. This eliminates the need to each operator to connect to all the others to which they may need to send messages. Interconnections and hubs are considered vital to the long-term success of RCS. RCS hubs are provided by a range of stakeholders with a vested interest in increasing RCS use. These include traditional SMS hub providers, software and hardware vendors, and also Google via its Jibe Cloud platform.

GSMA RCS accreditation

The RCS Interop and Testing accreditation process was started by the GSMA in order to improve the quality of testing, increase transparency, drive scale, minimize complexity and accelerate time-to-market of joyn services. Companies need to undertake the IOT process from the GSMA to apply for a license to use the service mark joyn.
"Accredited" means that the device, client or network has undertaken a series of test cases in a specific set of conditions, provided test results and traces that have been analysed by the GSMA RCS IOT team and any IOT issues arising resolved with the submitter.
"Accreditation Ready" is the designation awarded to a hosted RCS service that has undertaken the same series of test cases as mobile network operator operator, provided test results and traces that have been analysed by the GSMA RCS IOT team and any IOT issues arising resolved with the submitter..

Reception

researcher Joe Westby criticized RCS for not allowing end-to-end encryption, because it is treated as a service of carriers and thus subject to possible surveillance.
The Verge criticized the inconsistent support of RCS in the United States, with carriers not supporting RCS in all markets, not certifying service on all phones, or not yet supporting the Universal Profile. Concerns were shown over Google's decision to run its own RCS service due to the possibility of antitrust scrutiny, but it was acknowledged that Google had to do so in order to bypass the carriers' inconsistent support of RCS, as it wanted to have a service more comparable to Apple's iMessage service available on Android.
Ars Technica also criticized Google's move to launch a direct-to-consumer RCS service, considering it a contradiction of RCS being native to the carrier to provide features reminiscent of messaging apps, counting it as being among various past and unsuccessful attempts by Google to develop an in-house messaging service, and noting limitations such as its dependencies on phone numbers as the identity, not being capable of being readily synchronized between multiple devices, and the aforementioned lack of end-to-end encryption.